Battery-charging apparatus



Dec. 7 1926. 1,610,205 E. c. FRITTS BATTERY CHARGING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l FI L "I' Ill f i INVENTOR. gli |y t v l l BY W57* i @j 'W TT ORN E ES Dec. 7 1926.

f 'QGIQZ E. c. FRITTS v BATTERY CHARGING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5. 1923 A ESSI-L11 ifm 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 56 v INVENTUR.

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Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

uNiTED STATES PATENToF Fics.

EDWIN C. FRITTS, F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EASTMAN KODAK COM-y PANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BATTERY-ennesimo. APPARATUS.

Application filed November 5, 1923, Serial No. 672,800.

My present invention relates to apparatus used in charging a storage battery. The principal object of my invention is to provide an apparatus that may be used by,a person totally unskilled in electrical apparatus. Most devices ,for this purpose are intended for use by electricians, or 'by amateurs more or less skilled in the radio or automobile arts or thelike. My apparatus, however, is intended for use by a person not accustomed to workingv with mechanical or electrical apparatus and particularly is designed for a storage battery used to drive a motor for a portable motion picture machine of such simplicity that it maybe operated by anyO unskilled person of ordinary intelligence.

Other objects are that the apparatus may be used with direct 0r alternating current, that it will indicate. whether the polarity of the connection is right or wrong, that it will be inexpensive to manufacture; of small size and convenient in every respect. Still other objects will appear in the following descrip.- tion, in which referenceis made to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference characters designate the same parts throughout.

Fig. 1 is a plan ofthe my apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view-thereof, its two separable' parts being disconnected;

F ig. r3 is an elevation, thereof showing the unit connected with` a battery and a rectifier;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the cover piece of the socket element of the unit; y

Fia. 5 is aplan view of the base piece of principal 'unit of the Socket element; 4

Fig. 6 is a planof the plug element connected to the, socket element, only a fragment of the base piece of the latter being shown;

Fig. 7 is a diagram of the circuit; Fig. 8 is a view showing the structural relation of the unit and battery. I

My apparatus includes a unit 1, comprising two separable'parts, a socket element 2,

and a plug element 3. The socket element has a base piece 4 and a cover piece 5 con.- nected by bolts 6 which, as far as the user is concerned, holds then'i permanently together. The bolts pass through bores 7 in the pieces and there are countersunk openings 8 for the heads 9 and nuts 10 of the bolts, so that they do-not protrude. 'I he cover piece has a circular. seat 11 in which terminal 25 of the coil 15,

a small magnetic needle 12 is free to turn on pivotc13, being visible. from4 above.v An* indicating mark 14 isplaced 'at a certain point in the circumference of this seat. A coil of wire 15 is carried on the base piece immediately below the magnet, thus forming a galvanometer or polarity indicator. The base piece 4 has a downward extension 16 in which are two symmetrically arranged keyhole openings 17 in which are seated contactC springs 18 pressing resiliently into the larger ends of the openings. "Wires 19 areled in through one end of the element and connected respectively to one of these springs at 20 and to one terminal 21 of the coil 15, the top and bottom pieces being suit` ably channeled at 22 to accommodate the wires. At the other end of the base piece are fixed two similar symmetrically arranged, U-'shaped, resilient, metal contacts 2 3, one of which is connected to the remaining connected at 26 tothe remaining contact spring 18. The facing arms 24 of the contact springs 23 are normally in contact but are capable of being pushed apart. In the 'base and cover pieces 4 and 5 there are suitable chambers 27 for the springs and from these extend socket openings 28 to the end of the element, leaving between the socket openings abutments 29 through y, which pass certain of the bore-s 7.`

The plug element 3 consists of identical base and cover members 30 connected by bolts 31. The element is symmetrical from top to bottom and from right to left and has two rigid `contact plugs 32 so positioned as to pass on either side of abutments 29 when the plug andsocket elements are joined. The plugs 32 are then thrust into the socket openings 28 and press'the contact arms 24 apart. The contact plugs 32 are connected within the p-lug element to wires 33 extend? ing from the other end of the element to a socket, element 34 adapted to be fitted 'over the'plug terminals 35 of a current rectifier 36 of familiar type and embodying elec-A trodes 37 in an Jelectrolyte in a suitable coutaineIz For use with the apparatus` described there is furnished an element 38 having a lamp socket 39, adapted for an ordinary electric lamp 40, a separable plug and socket connection 41-42 and an ordinary screw plug 48 adapted to be screwed into an ordiwhile the other is the plug around. The details of the element` 38 need not be more fully shown and described. f Y

The above described apparatus is supplied 'with and for use particularly on a battery 43 having identical terminals 44 adapted to tit in the enlargements .of the keyhole shaped socketopenings 17 and to press the springsvk 18 to one side, thus insuring good contact. Adjacent the terminals44on the battery casing is an upward abutment or extensionv 45 extending considerably above the tops of the terminals. It is to be noted that the abutment or extension 16 in which the openings 17 are located is positioned'at' one side of the socket element 2 so that the element forms an overhanging ledge 46 on one side of extension 15 but there is a smooth side wall 47 on the other side. The spacing of abutment 45 from terminals 44 of the battery is such that the smooth surface 47 `of the socket element is guided down the face of thisV abutment as the plug and socket' connections are operatively connected, but that if an will strike the top of attempt ismade to join the connections the other way around the 'overhanving ledge 46 abutment 45 and prevent the completion of the connection.

i user/knows nothing about electricity, nor

la set of printed instructions. velement 2v without plug element 3 is placed von the battery in the only position it will go what kind of currentvfisavailable in the supply .line, and merely follows mechanically The socket Element 38, is then screwed into the supply socket 49 and lamp 40 inserted in socket 39, the lampserving as resistance vto decrease the voltage across the battery terminals.- The connection 41-42 is closed, completing la circuit from source 5()` through coil 15,

contacts 24, battery 43 and lamp 40.

- three conditions are possible.

The user now observes the needle 12 where wilLpoint to theindicating mark14 if the current Ais direct'fand flows inone direction. /3. In combination in It-` is, therefore, possible to position thesocket The needle Y through coil 15; it will point away from the mark if the current is direct and flows in the reverse direction; it will be uninfluenced if the current is alternating.

rIhe indicating mark is so placed that the needle will point to it if the polarity of the line is right for the battery as connected, and if this condition is found to exist the user merely leaves the apparatus connected for the designated time. If the needle points away from the mark the user disconnects the plug and socket 41-42 and reconnects them` with the contacts reversed. The needle then points to the indicator. The connection 41-42 is thus used as a polechanging switch.

If the third condition exists the rectier.`

that the user need know nothing whatever about electrical connections and circuits. The apparatus can be set up in only one way and an inexperienced user can, by following merely mechanical directions,use it successfully.

It is to be understood that other embodi- .ments of my invention are possible and I contemplate as within the`scope thereof all such Vmodifications and equivalents as fall within ther` scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: c

1. In combination, a storagebatter ,an element, a polarity' indicator carried y said element, complementary electrical contacts carried by said battery and said element 'and having but one cooperative relation, and means for including said polarity indica-tor, battery and contacts in circuit witha source of -direct current, said4 means including a.Y

pole-changing switch. l

2. In combination, a battery, an element carrying'a polarity indicator, a second ele- Q ment, an`d a rectiiier, separable plug and-` socket connections between the battery and the first element, between the first and second elements, and between the rectifier and the second element, whereby they maybe all connected in series, and means including a separable plug and socket connection wherebythe above described circuit may be connected to a source of current, all of said separable connections being of different mechanical construction and incapable of beinglconnected except in the` specified relation.

la lbattery charging apparatus, a plug element and a socket elet' ment, the socket element comprising av casing, a polarity indicator 1n said casing and visible in thetop thereof, electrical contact members in the bottom of said casing whereby connection may be with a battery, normally contacting, symmetrically arranged, resilient springsin said casing and accesslble through the side of the casing and said plug element having connections for attachment to a rectiier and having symmetrical plug contacts adapted for insertion between said cont-acting resilient springs in said casing and accessible through a socket in the casing, and conductors connect-ing in series said polarity indicator,'said contactsand said springs and adapted to connect them to a source of current, and said plug element having connections forattachment to a rectifier and having plug contacts adapted for insertion inthe socket and adapted to spread apart the springs, `whereby a rectifier may bc included in the above described circuitA 5. In combination in a battery charging apparatus, a battery, a rectifier, a plug element and a socket element, the socket element comprising a casing, a polarity indicator in said casing and visible in the top thereof, electrical contact members in the bottom of said casing whereby connection may be made with a battery normally contacting, symmetrically arranged, resilient springs in said casing and accessible through the side of the casing, and said plug element having connection for attachment to the rectifier and having symmetrical plug contacts adapted for insertion between said springs in two relations, and when so insertled se arating them.

6.` n combination in a batteryv charging apparatus, a battery, a rectifier, a plug element and a socket element, t-he socket element comprising a casing, a polarity indicator-in said casing and visible in the top thereof, electrical contacts in the bottom of said case whereby connection may be made with the battery, normally contacting resilient `springs in said "casing and accessible through a socket in the casing, and conductors connect-ing in series said polarity indicator, said contacts and said springs and adapted to connect them in a source of current, and said plug element having connections for' attachment to the rectifier and havu ing plug contacts adaptedfor insertion in the socket andr adapted to spread apart the springs whereby the rectifier may be included in the above described circuit.

Signed ati Rochester, New York, this 1st day of November, 1923. f

EDWIN C. FRITTS. 

